This invention relates generally to devices that process and/or obtain tactile information, and more particularly to devices that transmit, record, playback, and reproduce tactile information obtained from a remote location or time to an individual.
During the 1980s, in an effort to overcome physician shortages in rural communities, the idea of using communications and computer systems for exchanging medical information between specialist physicians and patients separated by great distances prompted the development of xe2x80x9ctelemedicine.xe2x80x9d With the advent of the internet and inexpensive audio and video communications systems, the scope of telemedicine continues to evolve. Many physicians currently use e-mail to correspond with patients while many patients use the internet to seek out general medical information. Telemedicine systems, in their current form however, are limited by their inability to allow for the adequate performance of a physical examination.
The fundamental process of the physical exam requires a doctor to gather specific information about the patient""s condition from a variety of sources (history, direct physical examination, laboratory tests, and imaging studies) then analyze that data and affect treatment. The most critical source of information comes from the actual physical examination of the patient. An expertly performed physical examination alone can be used to establish a correct diagnosis with over 90% accuracy. While some medical information can be transmitted via phone, FAX, or the internet, that derived from the actual physical contact between the doctor and patient during the manual examination process cannot, and represents the key limiting step in the entire telemedicine examination process. The inability to acquire physical data remotely, and transfer this information reliably to a physician in a non-contiguous location, limits the reliability of telemedicine for most serious medical problems.
Thus, there exists a need for a computer hardware and software system which allows for the direct manual examination of a patient in a non-contiguous location, wherein a physician may perform a manual examination of a patient""s body without any actual direct physical contact between the patient and the physician. Moreover, there exists a need for a system that allows tactile and xe2x80x9cphysical contactxe2x80x9d data to be gathered and transmitted via conventional global communications systems. Such a system would provide a means for any physician in the world to examine any patient in any location including rural or remote areas, xe2x80x9cin the fieldxe2x80x9d during an emergency or battle, or any hostile environment. There also exists a need for the transformation of applied and/or received tactile forces into digital data, which can then be transmitted over the internet, or any other type of communications platform able to transmit and receive such signals, and ultimately transmitted to a device on the other end which translates the digital signal into the appropriate output (applied) tactile force. Further, there exists a need for the recording of this digital tactile examination data, wherein the digital tactile examination data can be played back for recreation or modeling of the underlying physical characteristics of the person or object that was originally examined (interrogated) by the system.
Further still, there exists a need for an imaging exam assembly that can obtain tactile examination data simultaneously with 2-D or 3-D internal body imaging data. The inclusion of internal body imaging would allow the physician user to obtain enhanced regional anatomic information associated with the location and internal characteristics of the underlying tissues and organs being manipulated during the exam. Currently, obtaining diagnostic 2-D or 3-D body imaging requires a patient to have an additional testing component or step in the diagnostic process. Non-invasive imaging systems currently available include ultrasound, Computed Tomography (CT) scans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Nuclear scans, and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans. CT scans, PET scans, and MRIs require patients to be physically placed in a large enclosure in order to generate the study data. Ultrasound systems however are very portable and safe systems that use sound waves to generate acoustical information that can be translated into 2-D or 3-D body images. Currently ultrasound systems require either a technologist or a physician, knowledgeable in the use of ultrasound equipment, to manually place an ultrasound probe on the patient""s body over the area of interest. The probe is physically connected to the ultrasound machine which provides the power and image processing systems.
The ultrasound unit emits pulses of ultrasound energy at specific frequencies that are transmitted to the body tissues. Echoes are returned from the tissues and collected by the transducer. Echoes returning from stationary tissue are detected and presented in gray scale as an image. Depth and brightness can be determined from the arrival time and signal strength characteristics of the returning echoes. Frequency changes from the returning echoes denote underlying motion of the structures below. This information is then processed by the imaging system software in order to generate an internal image of the structure being evaluated. The visual and spectral data can then be used by the physician to make diagnostic and treatment decisions. Many aspects of the ultrasound examination also require the technologist or physician user to press on the body surface with the transducer scan head in order to detect additional characteristics of the underlying structures being evaluated.
Thus there exists a need for a system operable to detect and transmit real time tactile information, as well as 2-D and 3-D ultrasound information between two individuals in non-contiguous locations. Moreover, a device that can simultaneously transmit, receive, and exchange real time tactile information data between two individuals in a non-contiguous location, as well as imaging data, to provide the user with simultaneous real time 2-D or 3-D internal or external body imaging is needed. Further, there exists a need for an enhanced medical diagnostic instrument operable to permit an end user to feel or manipulate the tissue or body structure in question as well as have the ability to view the internal impact of the applied tactile forces.
In accordance with the present invention, a simulator assembly for simulating the tactile response of an item is provided. The simulator assembly includes a playback module formed generally in the shape of at least a portion of the simulated item, the playback module body including an outer skin. The simulator assembly further includes a plurality of cavities disposed in the playback module body and beneath the outer skin. The simulator assembly also includes a plurality of sensory modulation subunits, wherein each sensory modulation subunit is disposed at least partially within one of the plurality of cavities. Also, each sensory modulation subunit is adapted to exert a force against the outer skin in response to an input signal.
The simulator assembly may include a pressure transducer adapted to generate an output signal in response to an applied force. The simulator assembly may include a computer system functionally connected to the sensory modulation subunits, wherein the computer system transmits the input signals to dynamically control the forces exerted by the sensory modulation subunits. The computer system may receive the output signals generated by the sensory modulation subunits, wherein the received output signals are used to determine the sensory modulation subunits input signals. The computer system may include a memory module containing data defining the firmness of the simulated item, wherein the data is used to determine the sensory modulation subunit input signals.
In accordance with the present invention, a tactile playback assembly for translating input signals received from a player into tactile sensations upon a user is provided. The tactile playback assembly includes an interactive pressure playback garment, the garment removably attachable to a user. The tactile playback assembly further includes a plurality of cells disposed in the garment, and a plurality of sensory modulation subunits, each sensory modulation subunit disposed within one of the cells. The sensory modulation subunits are adapted to generate a force upon the user in response to an input signal.
The tactile playback assembly may include sensory modulation subunits having a variable pressure producing device operable to generate the force upon the body of the user in response to the input signal received from the player, wherein the magnitude of the force is variable and determined by the input signal received from the player. The tactile playback assembly may include a playing device operatively linked to the sensory modulation subunits for supplying the sensory modulation subunits with the input signals. The tactile playback assembly may include a playing device that generates a video output signal, wherein the sensory modulation subunit signals are correlated with the video output signal.
In accordance with the present invention, a tactile data recording assembly is provided. The tactile data recording assembly includes an interactive pressure recording garment, the garment removably attachable to at least a portion of a user. The tactile data recording assembly also includes a plurality of cells disposed in the garment. The tactile data recording assembly also includes a plurality of sensory modulation subunits, each sensory modulation subunit housed at least partially within one of the cells, the sensory modulation subunits adapted to generate an output signal corresponding to a tactile force applied to the sensory modulation subunits. The tactile data recording assembly further includes an output signal recording device, wherein the output signal recording device is operatively linked to the plurality of sensory modulation subunits for recording the output signals generated by the sensory modulation subunits.
The sensory modulation subunits may be capable of generating an output signal of a variable magnitude such that the magnitude of the output signal is correlated to the magnitude of the tactile force applied to the sensory modulation subunits. The tactile data recording assembly may include sensory modulation subunits that include a slab of elastic material having a pressure transducer embedded therein, the pressure transducer adapted to generate a signal that is directly related to the tactile force applied to the sensory modulation subunit.
In accordance with the present invention, an imaging exam assembly for palpating a body and obtaining images of the body is disclosed. The imaging exam assembly includes a housing and an imaging device disposed at least partially within the housing, the imaging device operable to obtain images of the body. The imaging exam assembly also includes a sensory modulation subunit disposed at least partially within the housing and comprising a variable pressure-producing device, the variable pressure-producing device operable to generate a palpation pressure upon the body. The sensory modulation subunit further includes a pressure transducer, the pressure transducer adapted to generate a signal that is directly related to an interface pressure between the sensory modulation subunit and the body.
The variable pressure-producing device may further comprise an expansion chamber, wherein a pressurized fluid may be selectively directed into the expansion chamber to expand the expansion chamber to produce a desired palpation force on the body. The imaging exam assembly may further include a valve, the valve located between the expansion chamber and a pressurized fluid media reservoir, the valve operable to control the flow of the fluid media into and out of the expansion chamber. The imaging exam assembly may further include an ultrasonic transducer disposed in the housing, the transducer adapted to transmit ultrasound waves into the body. The ultrasonic transducer may also be adapted to detect ultrasound waves. The imaging exam assembly may further include a second ultrasonic transducer disposed in the housing, the second ultrasonic transducer adapted to detect ultrasound waves. The imaging exam assembly may be operable to obtain internal images of the body.
In accordance with the present invention, an ultrasonic imaging system is provided. The ultrasonic imaging system includes an ultrasound pulser and an ultrasound image display system disposed at a first location. The ultrasonic imaging system also includes an ultrasound transducer assembly that emits and detects ultrasound waves, the ultrasound transducer assembly disposed at a second location. The ultrasound transducer assembly is coupled to the ultrasound pulser and ultrasound image display system through a computer network.
In accordance with the present invention, a device for remotely conducting a direct manual examination of a patient is provided. The device includes a hand control unit having at least one first sensory modulation subunit that detects a force applied to the first sensory modulation subunit and generates a first signal in response to the detected force, and exerts a force in response to a received second signal. The device also includes a patient examination module, the patient examination module having a plurality of second sensory modulation subunits that are selectively connectable to the first sensory modulation subunit. The second sensory modulation subunit is operable to receive the first signal and exert a force in response to the received first signal. The second sensory modulation subunit is also operable to detect a force resisting the exerted force and generate the second signal based on the detected resisting force, the second signal being received by the first sensory modulation subunit. The device further includes a recording device in signal communication with the first and second sensory modulation subunits that records the first and second signals.
The device may be configured such that the first sensory modulation subunit is coupled in signal communication with a first computer and the second sensory modulation subunit is coupled in signal communication with a second computer. A communication network operatively connects the first computer with the second computer. The device may also be configured such that the hand control unit and the patient examination module are in non-contiguous locations.
In accordance with the present invention, a method of imparting tactile sensations to a body of a user is provided. The method includes wrapping a portion of a body of a user in a interactive pressure playback garment, the interactive pressure playback garment having an array of linear actuators capable of generating a tactile force upon the body of the user in response to an input signal. The method also includes connecting the interactive pressure playback garment in signal communication with a data output device capable of generating a series of input signals for transmission to the array of linear activators to selectively impart tactile forces upon the body of the user.
In accordance with the present invention, a method of recording tactile data is disclosed. The method includes wrapping a portion of a body of a user in a force detecting pad, the force detecting pad having a plurality of sensory cells capable of generating an output signal in response to a tactile force received upon the force detecting pad. The method also includes connecting the force detecting pad in signal communication with an output signal recording device. The method further includes exposing the force detecting pad to at least one force and recording the output signals generated by the tactile force receiving pad with the output signal recording device.